Skinwalker
by Sakura aka L-sama no Miko
Summary: My reactionary fic after reading the translation to the Nov 2000 issue of X. Yaoi. Don't like, don't read.


Skinwalker

Skinwalker

A Tokyo Babylon/X songfic

By Sakura

Painted desert

Peyote rain

Lord don`t let me

Go insane

Skinwalker

Ooh

Skinwalker

Who am I

Who are you

I was only

Passing through

Skinwalker

Ooh

Skinwalker

Subaru woke with a start. He had the same dream again. Every night for the past few months he would dream that he was nine years old again, dressed in his ceremonial onmyoujitsu robes. He was standing under a large sakura tree in a vast darkness; the tree being the only source of light. 

He was talking to someone, a boy in a high-school uniform. However, he was never able to see the boy's face completely. He was haunted by the boy's smile and the whispered words in his ear, "I'll make a bet with you." He never could stay asleep long enough to hear what the bet was.

"Who was that?" the sixteen-year-old onmyouji asked himself. "Was it someone I met when I first came to Tokyo?"

In another part of Tokyo, Seishirou smiled; satisfied that he once again managed to keep his prey from remembering. "It's not time yet for you to remember, Subaru-kun. Just a bit longer."

The sakurazukamori took out a cigarette and lit it, waiting for his latest victim to show up. Another soft smile came to his face when he felt Subaru fall back to sleep. "How time flies when you're having fun," he whispered, remembering the moment he met the Sumeragi for the second time.

A strange encounter

To be sure

He was wicked

He was pure

Hear him calling

He`s calling for you

Subaru ran along the station, chasing the black bird only those gifted in onmyoujitsu could see. To the passengers and passersby, he looked like a typical teenage boy late for the next train, though he was dressed a bit oddly.

The black haired boy was oblivious to anything and everything around him, even his twin sister's incessant shouts to be careful went unheard. So intent was he in following the shikigami, he didn't see the crack in the tile and so got the toe of his shoe caught in it.

Subaru let out a cry as he was suddenly propelled forward. Expecting to hit cold tile, he was surprised when he bumped into something hard and warm. Strong arms wrapped around him and gently helped him to stand. "Daijobu ka?" a voice asked.

Looking up, he saw a tall man with warm gold eyes looking at him with concern. "Gomen," he said bowing deeply. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's all right," the man returned with a smile. 'My how you've grown,' he thought, recognizing the boy as the little onmyouji he had marked years ago. 'So kawaii.'

"You really shouldn't be running like that. This is a dangerous place," he said, once he came from his reverie.

"Subaru!! Where are you?!" A girl in a pink butterfly outfit came running up to him. "Didn't I tell you not to run like that?! Yeesh you're going to be the death of me one of these days."

"Hokuto-chan!" the boy said, embarrassed, a faint blush coming to his already rosy cheeks.

"Oh hello!" the boy's twin sister said noticing the obviously amused stranger standing next to Subaru.

Come with me

Into the mystic

Come with me

Into the night

We can live

Live forever

Live forever

This night, Seishirou decided to have a bit of fun with his prey. The poor boy had been stressing himself out far too much lately. It was _his_ decision to protect Subaru and thus lose an eye because of it. The little onmyouji cared too much for others for his own good. Closing the good eye along with the still bandaged one, the sakurazukamori slipped into the dreams of the boy resting at his bedside.

Subaru was at the sakura again, but he wasn't the nine-year-old boy this time. He was his present self and very confused as to why he was standing under a sakura tree literally in the middle of nowhere. He had a very kawaii perplexed look on his face.

The boy started at the sound of soft chuckling behind him. Leaning nonchalantly against the trunk was Seishirou, his head wrapped in clean white bandages. "Seishirou-san, I…"

The vet reached out and silenced Subaru with a light touch to his lips. Subaru blushed at the sudden contact. Smiling, Seishirou shook his head. "You really don't have to apologize Subaru-kun. It was something that none of us could stop from happening."

The Sumeragi was about to say something, but Seishirou's gaze held him fast. "I'm not blaming you. Wouldn't you have done the same if it were me in danger?"

The boy bit his lip, trying to stop the tears from coming. "O-Of course Seishirou-san! Y-You're…" Another blush came to his face, this one a bit deeper red. "special to me."

Seishirou smiled. This particular prey was truly worth the delay. Subaru proved to be more than just an amusement he was also a fascinating mix of innocence and compassion. "You're special to me too," he replied gently brushing away a few tears that managed to slip away from the boy's control. "So no more tears, Subaru-kun."

Sniffling, Subaru let the older man hold him close, content to feel Seishirou's heartbeat next to him. 'Let's see how far I can take this shall we?' the man whispered to the tree who seemed to be watching the scene with great interest. Seishirou placed his hand under the boy's chin and lifted his head up.

Subaru gazed quizzically at his friend then got the shock of his life as Seishirou closed the gap between them and gently kissed his lips. The younger onmyouji could only stand still, too shocked to do anything. Moments later, after the initial shock had worn off, Subaru wrapped his arms around the older man's neck and shyly began to return the kiss.

Painted desert

Peyote rain

Lord don`t let me

Go insane

Skinwalker

Ooh

Skinwalker

Through your eyes

I can see

You have left

Your mark on me

Skinwalker

Ooh

Skinwalker

Years later, Subaru stood leaning against the only blooming sakura tree in Ueno Park. He looked at the faintly glowing stars eternally carved into the back of his hands. His lower lip fought desperately to keep hold of the cigarette he'd been smoking.

It lost the battle and the half smoked butt fell to the grass below. A half chocked sob forced its way out of the onmyouji's mouth as Subaru quickly stomped on the smoldering cigarette. He looked at the remains confused as to why he had put out the fire. Then he turned to the tree. "This is _your_ fault!" he shouted at it. The tree shook its branches, silently laughing at him.

"Damn you! I loved them!" Subaru sighed. Yelling at the tree wouldn't bring him back, or his sister for that matter. "I really should have let that cigarette burn," he said coldly. "Then no one else would have to suffer like I did." More rustling from the tree mocked him.

"Subaru!!!"

He looked to see a boy in a CLAMP academy uniform running toward him. Cursing himself for not noticing the Ten no Ryuu's presence, Subaru sighed; too late to run now. "Hello Kamui-kun," he said, trying to appear normal.

"Where have you been?! We were so worried," Kamui said, panting for breath.

"I needed to be alone for a while, Kamui-kun. I needed to sort things out after… he died," was the older man's answer.

Kamui nodded his head in sympathy. He knew exactly what his friend and fellow Ten no Ryuu was going through. He could still feel the pain of losing his family and friends. "Y-you'll be coming back soon?" he asked timidly, a faint blush coming to his face. He desperately missed and needed Subaru's comforting presence.

"I'm not sure yet," the older Ten no Ryuu said sighing. He had been planning on disappearing, never to return. But something in the boy's pleading gaze reminded him of what he'd been so many years ago. 'Was this what it was like for Seishirou-san and me back then?'

"Please Subaru?" Tears began to fall silently down Kamui's cheeks.

"Kamui…" The words never came. The tears wouldn't let the new sakurazukamori speak. It seemed that the sakura hadn't won after all. Subaru was still ruled by his emotions, unlike Seishirou.

Sighing, Subaru wiped the boy's tears away and resigned to letting the Ten no Ryuu lead him back to the Imonoyama mansion and the others.

'I hope someone does tear you down!' he shot to the sakura. 

The tree shook in mock anger, knowing full well that as long as it had someone protecting it, that would never happen. 

~Owari~


End file.
